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Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Baltimore declares emergency as riots erupt

A state of emergency has been declared in Baltimore after the city transformed into 'an absolute war zone' following the funeral of Freddie Gray.

More than 1,000 Maryland police officers, the Maryland National Guaird, and 5,000 officers from neighboring states are on standby in the city and the president has been briefed on the situation as violence continues to escalate.

African American Freddie Gray, 25, died on 19 Aprilafter a week in a coma. The justice department is investigating exactly where and when his spinal injuries were sustained.

Fifteen police officers have been injured, many suffering broken bones, and at least one appeared ‘unresponsive’.

A $16 million nursing home built by a Baptist church, which was due to open in December after eight years of construction, has been burned to rubble on the city's east side. Just two blocks away, a housing development was also ablaze.